Realm of the Polar Bear in Depth

Spitsbergen Cruises

Starting from $5,999

This cruise delivers plenty of wildlife and amazing High Arctic scenery! Discover why Spitsbergen in Arctic Norway is the best place to see polar bears in the wild. Cruise through spectacular fjords, glaciers and mountains while viewing seals, walrus, reindeer and the iconic polar bear on this 11-day journey in the Land of the Midnight Sun!

Itinerary

Get your first glimpses of the midnight sun in Spitsbergen's capital Longyearbyen. Embark the M/S Expedition in the afternoon and depart Longyearbyen in the evening.

Days 2–10: Svalbard Archipelago/Spitsbergen

Each day will be planned to take advantage of local ice and weather conditions. Svalbard is one of the few places on the planet to offer such a plethora of natural and historical extravaganzas. We will spend the next nine days exploring the remote polar regions. Visit ice covered fjords with breathtaking mountain scenery and glaciers crashing into the sea around us. Spend time steaming through the ice in search of polar bears hunting seals. At one or more of the stops, we hope to see Svalbard’s polar fox and their unique reindeer.

Our goal is to give our guests the best possible opportunity to see wildlife in and around the Spitsbergen Archipelago. Ice conditions sometimes allow us to sail through Hinlopen Strait towards the east coast of Spitsbergen, then through Freemansundet towards the south. However this is not always the case and on many departures we decide to explore alternative routes to maximize our time in this remote destination. Early season voyages often provide the greatest opportunity to see large ice floes in the Arctic pack ice, which usually means excellent wildlife viewing. Later in the season we can cover more territory, which may allow us to explore the entire Archipelago. This can lead us to the less explored regions of Nordaustlandet and Kvitoya, or the continental edges where large whales are attracted by nutrient-rich upwellings.

Quad, triple, twin-share cabins, or suites (all with en suite bathrooms and porthole or window) (10 nights). Please note that all cabins consist of twin sized berths and are oceanview. Suites have one queen size bed

German Language Program offered on select tours

Adventure Options

Kayaking:$699

Available only on the June 27, 2019 and July 14, 2019 departures

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the nature of expedition cruising, itineraries are subject to change due to weather, ice conditions, natural and cultural events, wildlife viewing opportunities and other logistical considerations. In general, a ship's crew will endeavor to complete the itinerary provided, but the ultimate decision lies with the ship's captain and expedition leaders.